ThewidowsaidshemeanttogiveHuckahomeunderherroofandhavehimeducated;andthatwhenshecouldsparethemoneyshewouldstarthiminbusinessinamodestway.Tom\'schancewascome.Hesaid:
\"Huckdon\'tneedit.Huck\'srich.\"
Nothingbutaheavystrainuponthegoodmannersofthecompanykeptbackthedueandpropercomplimentarylaughatthispleasantjoke.Butthesilencewasalittleawkward.Tombrokeit:
\"Huck\'sgotmoney.Maybeyoudon\'tbelieveit,buthe\'sgotlotsofit.Oh,youneedn\'tsmile——IreckonIcanshowyou.Youjustwaitaminute.\"
Tomranoutofdoors.Thecompanylookedateachotherwithaperplexedinterest——andinquiringlyatHuck,whowastongue-tied.
\"Sid,whatailsTom?\"saidAuntPolly.\"He——well,thereain\'teveranymakingofthatboyout.Inever——\"
Tomentered,strugglingwiththeweightofhissacks,andAuntPollydidnotfinishhersentence.Tompouredthemassofyellowcoinuponthetableandsaid:
\"There——whatdidItellyou?Halfofit\'sHuck\'sandhalfofit\'smine!\"
Thespectacletookthegeneralbreathaway.Allgazed,nobodyspokeforamoment.Thentherewasaunanimouscallforanexplanation.Tomsaidhecouldfurnishit,andhedid.Thetalewaslong,butbrimfulofinterest.Therewasscarcelyaninterruptionfromanyonetobreakthecharmofitsflow.Whenhehadfinished,Mr.Jonessaid:
\"IthoughtIhadfixedupalittlesurpriseforthisoccasion,butitdon\'tamounttoanythingnow.Thisonemakesitsingmightysmall,I\'mwillingtoallow.\"
Themoneywascounted.Thesumamountedtoalittleovertwelvethousanddollars.Itwasmorethananyonepresenthadeverseenatonetimebefore,thoughseveralpersonsweretherewhowereworthconsiderablymorethanthatinproperty.
CHAPTERXXXV
THEreadermayrestsatisfiedthatTom\'sandHuck\'swindfallmadeamightystirinthepoorlittlevillageofSt.Petersburg.Sovastasum,allinactualcash,seemednexttoincredible.Itwastalkedabout,gloatedover,glorified,untilthereasonofmanyofthecitizenstotteredunderthestrainoftheunhealthyexcitement.Every\"haunted\"houseinSt.Petersburgandtheneighboringvillageswasdissected,plankbyplank,anditsfoundationsdugupandransackedforhiddentreasure——andnotbyboys,butmen——prettygrave,unromanticmen,too,someofthem.WhereverTomandHuckappearedtheywerecourted,admired,staredat.Theboyswerenotabletorememberthattheirremarkshadpossessedweightbefore;butnowtheirsayingsweretreasuredandrepeated;everythingtheydidseemedsomehowtoberegardedasremarkable;theyhadevidentlylostthepowerofdoingandsayingcommonplacethings;moreover,theirpasthistorywasrakedupanddiscoveredtobearmarksofconspicuousoriginality.Thevillagepaperpublishedbiographicalsketchesoftheboys.
TheWidowDouglasputHuck\'smoneyoutatsixpercent.,andJudgeThatcherdidthesamewithTom\'satAuntPolly\'srequest.Eachladhadanincome,now,thatwassimplyprodigious——adollarforeveryweek-dayintheyearandhalfoftheSundays.Itwasjustwhattheministergot——no,itwaswhathewaspromised——hegenerallycouldn\'tcollectit.Adollarandaquarteraweekwouldboard,lodge,andschoolaboyinthoseoldsimpledays——andclothehimandwashhim,too,forthatmatter.
JudgeThatcherhadconceivedagreatopinionofTom.Hesaidthatnocommonplaceboywouldeverhavegothisdaughteroutofthecave.WhenBeckytoldherfather,instrictconfidence,howTomhadtakenherwhippingatschool,theJudgewasvisiblymoved;andwhenshepleadedgraceforthemightyliewhichTomhadtoldinordertoshiftthatwhippingfromhershoulderstohisown,theJudgesaidwithafineoutburstthatitwasanoble,agenerous,amagnanimouslie——aliethatwasworthytoholdupitsheadandmarchdownthroughhistorybreasttobreastwithGeorgeWashington\'slaudedTruthaboutthehatchet!Beckythoughtherfatherhadneverlookedsotallandsosuperbaswhenhewalkedthefloorandstampedhisfootandsaidthat.ShewentstraightoffandtoldTomaboutit.
JudgeThatcherhopedtoseeTomagreatlawyeroragreatsoldiersomeday.HesaidhemeanttolooktoitthatTomshouldbeadmittedtotheNationalMilitaryAcademyandafterwardtrainedinthebestlawschoolinthecountry,inorderthathemightbereadyforeithercareerorboth.
HuckFinn\'swealthandthefactthathewasnowundertheWidowDouglas\'protectionintroducedhimintosociety——no,draggedhimintoit,hurledhimintoit——andhissufferingswerealmostmorethanhecouldbear.Thewidow\'sservantskepthimcleanandneat,combedandbrushed,andtheybeddedhimnightlyinunsympatheticsheetsthathadnotonelittlespotorstainwhichhecouldpresstohisheartandknowforafriend.Hehadtoeatwithaknifeandfork;hehadtousenapkin,cup,andplate;hehadtolearnhisbook,hehadtogotochurch;hehadtotalksoproperlythatspeechwasbecomeinsipidinhismouth;whithersoeverheturned,thebarsandshacklesofcivilizationshuthiminandboundhimhandandfoot.
Hebravelyborehismiseriesthreeweeks,andthenonedayturnedupmissing.Forforty-eighthoursthewidowhuntedforhimeverywhereingreatdistress.Thepublicwereprofoundlyconcerned;theysearchedhighandlow,theydraggedtheriverforhisbody.EarlythethirdmorningTomSawyerwiselywentpokingamongsomeoldemptyhogsheadsdownbehindtheabandonedslaughter-house,andinoneofthemhefoundtherefugee.Huckhadsleptthere;hehadjustbreakfasteduponsomestolenoddsandendsoffood,andwaslyingoff,now,incomfort,withhispipe.Hewasunkempt,uncombed,andcladinthesameoldruinofragsthathadmadehimpicturesqueinthedayswhenhewasfreeandhappy.Tomroutedhimout,toldhimthetroublehehadbeencausing,andurgedhimtogohome.Huck\'sfacelostitstranquilcontent,andtookamelancholycast.Hesaid:
\"Don\'ttalkaboutit,Tom.I\'vetriedit,anditdon\'twork;itdon\'twork,Tom.Itain\'tforme;Iain\'tusedtoit.Thewidder\'sgoodtome,andfriendly;butIcan\'tstandthemways.Shemakesmegetupjustatthesametimeeverymorning;shemakesmewash,theycombmealltothunder;shewon\'tletmesleepinthewoodshed;Igottowearthemblamedclothesthatjustsmothersme,Tom;theydon\'tseemtoanyairgitthrough\'em,somehow;andthey\'resorottennicethatIcan\'tsetdown,norlaydown,norrollaroundanywher\'s;Ihain\'tslidonacellar-doorfor——well,it\'pearstobeyears;Igottogotochurchandsweatandsweat——Ihatethemornerysermons!Ican\'tketchaflyinthere,Ican\'tchaw.IgottowearshoesallSunday.Thewiddereatsbyabell;shegoestobedbyabell;shegitsupbyabell——everything\'ssoawfulreg\'larabodycan\'tstandit.\"
\"Well,everybodydoesthatway,Huck.\"
\"Tom,itdon\'tmakenodifference.Iain\'teverybody,andIcan\'tstandit.It\'sawfultobetiedupso.Andgrubcomestooeasy——Idon\'ttakenointerestinvittles,thatway.Igottoasktogoa-fishing;Igottoasktogoina-swimming——dern\'difIhain\'tgottoasktodoeverything.Well,I\'dgottotalksoniceitwasn\'tnocomfort——I\'dgottogoupintheatticandripoutawhile,everyday,togitatasteinmymouth,orI\'dadied,Tom.Thewidderwouldn\'tletmesmoke;shewouldn\'tletmeyell,shewouldn\'tletmegape,norstretch,norscratch,beforefolks——\"[Thenwithaspasmofspecialirritationandinjury]——\"Anddadfetchit,sheprayedallthetime!Ineverseesuchawoman!IHADtoshove,Tom——Ijusthadto.Andbesides,thatschool\'sgoingtoopen,andI\'dahadtogotoit——well,Iwouldn\'tstandTHAT,Tom.Looky-here,Tom,beingrichain\'twhatit\'scrackeduptobe.It\'sjustworryandworry,andsweatandsweat,anda-wishingyouwasdeadallthetime.Nowtheseclothessuitsme,andthisbar\'lsuitsme,andIain\'tevergoingtoshake\'emanymore.Tom,Iwouldn\'tevergotintoallthistroubleifithadn\'t\'a\'benforthatmoney;nowyoujusttakemysheerofitalongwithyour\'n,andgimmeaten-centersometimes——notmanytimes,becuzIdon\'tgiveadernforathing\'thoutit\'stollablehardtogit——andyougoandbegoffformewiththewidder.\"
\"Oh,Huck,youknowIcan\'tdothat.\'Tain\'tfair;andbesidesifyou\'lltrythisthingjustawhilelongeryou\'llcometolikeit.\"
\"Likeit!Yes——thewayI\'dlikeahotstoveifIwastosetonitlongenough.No,Tom,Iwon\'tberich,andIwon\'tliveinthemcussedsmotheryhouses.Ilikethewoods,andtheriver,andhogsheads,andI\'llstickto\'em,too.Blameitall!justaswe\'dgotguns,andacave,andalljustfixedtorob,herethisdernfoolishnesshasgottocomeupandspileitall!\"
Tomsawhisopportunity——
\"Lookyhere,Huck,beingrichain\'tgoingtokeepmebackfromturningrobber.\"
\"No!Oh,good-licks;areyouinrealdead-woodearnest,Tom?\"
\"JustasdeadearnestasI\'msittinghere.ButHuck,wecan\'tletyouintothegangifyouain\'trespectable,youknow.\"
Huck\'sjoywasquenched.
\"Can\'tletmein,Tom?Didn\'tyouletmegoforapirate?\"
\"Yes,butthat\'sdifferent.Arobberismorehigh-tonedthanwhatapirateis——asageneralthing.Inmostcountriesthey\'reawfulhighupinthenobility——dukesandsuch.\"
\"Now,Tom,hain\'tyoualwaysbenfriendlytome?Youwouldn\'tshetmeout,wouldyou,Tom?Youwouldn\'tdothat,now,wouldyou,Tom?\"
\"Huck,Iwouldn\'twantto,andIdon\'twantto——butwhatwouldpeoplesay?Why,they\'dsay,\'Mph!TomSawyer\'sGang!prettylowcharactersinit!\'They\'dmeanyou,Huck.Youwouldn\'tlikethat,andIwouldn\'t.\"
Huckwassilentforsometime,engagedinamentalstruggle.Finallyhesaid:
\"Well,I\'llgobacktothewidderforamonthandtackleitandseeifIcancometostandit,ifyou\'llletmeb\'longtothegang,Tom.\"
\"Allright,Huck,it\'sawhiz!Comealong,oldchap,andI\'llaskthewidowtoletuponyoualittle,Huck.\"
\"Willyou,Tom——nowwillyou?That\'sgood.Ifshe\'llletuponsomeoftheroughestthings,I\'llsmokeprivateandcussprivate,andcrowdthroughorbust.Whenyougoingtostartthegangandturnrobbers?\"
\"Oh,rightoff.We\'llgettheboystogetherandhavetheinitiationto-night,maybe.\"
\"Havethewhich?\"
\"Havetheinitiation.\"
\"What\'sthat?\"
\"It\'stosweartostandbyoneanother,andnevertellthegang\'ssecrets,evenifyou\'rechoppedalltoflinders,andkillanybodyandallhisfamilythathurtsoneofthegang.\"
\"That\'sgay——that\'smightygay,Tom,Itellyou.\"
\"Well,Ibetitis.Andallthatswearing\'sgottobedoneatmidnight,inthelonesomest,awfulestplaceyoucanfind——aha\'ntedhouseisthebest,butthey\'reallrippedupnow.\"
\"Well,midnight\'sgood,anyway,Tom.\"
\"Yes,soitis.Andyou\'vegottoswearonacoffin,andsignitwithblood.\"
\"Now,that\'ssomethinglike!Why,it\'samilliontimesbullierthanpirating.I\'llsticktothewiddertillIrot,Tom;andifIgittobeareg\'larripperofarobber,andeverybodytalking\'boutit,Ireckonshe\'llbeproudshesnakedmeinoutofthewet.\"
CONCLUSION
SOendeththischronicle.Itbeingstrictlyahistoryofaboy,itmuststophere;thestorycouldnotgomuchfurtherwithoutbecomingthehistoryofaman.Whenonewritesanovelaboutgrownpeople,heknowsexactlywheretostop——thatis,withamarriage;butwhenhewritesofjuveniles,hemuststopwherehebestcan.
Mostofthecharactersthatperforminthisbookstilllive,andareprosperousandhappy.Somedayitmayseemworthwhiletotakeupthestoryoftheyoungeronesagainandseewhatsortofmenandwomentheyturnedouttobe;thereforeitwillbewisestnottorevealanyofthatpartoftheirlivesatpresent.
